Question overhauling my pedals
#1
Newbie
Thread Starter
Question overhauling my pedals
Hi all, I'm new.
I'm trying to fix up an old bike. The left pedal makes a very strong click on down stroke, so I thought I would re-pack the grease. When I disassembled the left pedal, the outer race has 10 bearings, and the inner race has 12 bearings. The right pedal has 13 bearings in both outer/inner race. How many bearings are there supposed to be in each race? Do I need more bearings, or can I shuffle them for 12 bearings in each race?
I found this white lithium grease in my garage. It's opaque white, and a little runnier than the old grease that was in the pedals before. Is it good for this purpose? My local bike shop has the park tools polylube that I see people use in youtube videos, but I'm hesitant to get that giant tub when I'm only working on my one bike.
I'm trying to fix up an old bike. The left pedal makes a very strong click on down stroke, so I thought I would re-pack the grease. When I disassembled the left pedal, the outer race has 10 bearings, and the inner race has 12 bearings. The right pedal has 13 bearings in both outer/inner race. How many bearings are there supposed to be in each race? Do I need more bearings, or can I shuffle them for 12 bearings in each race?
I found this white lithium grease in my garage. It's opaque white, and a little runnier than the old grease that was in the pedals before. Is it good for this purpose? My local bike shop has the park tools polylube that I see people use in youtube videos, but I'm hesitant to get that giant tub when I'm only working on my one bike.
Last edited by gululok; 09-12-21 at 09:38 PM.
#2
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2020
Location: Eastern Poland
Posts: 743
Bikes: Romet Jubilat x 4, Wigry x 1, Turing x 1
Mentioned: 3 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 194 Post(s)
Liked 204 Times
in
151 Posts
If your right and left pedal are a matched pair then they both should have 13 balls at each end. The reason for the loud click is the shortage of balls, some of which have probably disintegrated with use (or been lost during a previous rebuild).
Leave the lithium grease where you found it, head off to your local auto or hardware store and get a tub of general purpose grease. People here can talk for weeks about grease, but nothing on a bike except a coaster brake hub is really under that heavy a load. It just has to stay in place.
Leave the lithium grease where you found it, head off to your local auto or hardware store and get a tub of general purpose grease. People here can talk for weeks about grease, but nothing on a bike except a coaster brake hub is really under that heavy a load. It just has to stay in place.
#3
señor miembro
Join Date: Dec 2018
Location: Pac NW
Posts: 8,237
Bikes: '70s - '80s Campagnolo
Mentioned: 92 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3846 Post(s)
Liked 6,437 Times
in
3,183 Posts
I use white lithium grease when repacking anything on the bike, pedals, headset, hubs, bottom bracket, etc. It's white, not opaque, actually looks like Campagnolo grease, and it feels thicker than the Park stuff. You can get this stuff at Lowe's.
I don't know what kind of pedals you have, but the vintage ones I overhaul usually have the same number of bearings in both races, inner and outer. The count is often 13, or 26 in each pedal. Unlike a headset, you can normally pack a pedal race full of bearings without leaving any dead space.
I don't know what kind of pedals you have, but the vintage ones I overhaul usually have the same number of bearings in both races, inner and outer. The count is often 13, or 26 in each pedal. Unlike a headset, you can normally pack a pedal race full of bearings without leaving any dead space.
#4
Newbie
Thread Starter
I use white lithium grease when repacking anything on the bike, pedals, headset, hubs, bottom bracket, etc. It's white, not opaque, actually looks like Campagnolo grease, and it feels thicker than the Park stuff. You can get this stuff at Lowe's.
I don't know what kind of pedals you have, but the vintage ones I overhaul usually have the same number of bearings in both races, inner and outer. The count is often 13, or 26 in each pedal. Unlike a headset, you can normally pack a pedal race full of bearings without leaving any dead space.
I don't know what kind of pedals you have, but the vintage ones I overhaul usually have the same number of bearings in both races, inner and outer. The count is often 13, or 26 in each pedal. Unlike a headset, you can normally pack a pedal race full of bearings without leaving any dead space.
Btw, is there any trick to pulling out the dust cover? I spent a long time prying with various screwdrivers, and ended up putting in a screw to gain purchase, but that left a hole that I'd have to caulk over.
#5
Full Member
Join Date: Oct 2019
Location: Foothills of West Central Maine
Posts: 410
Bikes: 2007 Motobecane Fantom Cross Expert, 2020 Motobecane Omni Strada Pro Disc (700c gravel bike), 2021 Motobecane Elite Adventure with Bafang 500W rear hub drive
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 173 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 143 Times
in
94 Posts
#6
I'm good to go!
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: Mississippi
Posts: 14,811
Bikes: Tarmac Disc Comp Di2 - 2020
Mentioned: 50 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 6100 Post(s)
Liked 4,732 Times
in
3,262 Posts
Conversely, if putting it together and adjusting it, you have a lot of wobble and play occasionally but it otherwise runs smoothly (when it's not wobbling), then you probably don't have enough balls in it.
#7
señor miembro
Join Date: Dec 2018
Location: Pac NW
Posts: 8,237
Bikes: '70s - '80s Campagnolo
Mentioned: 92 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3846 Post(s)
Liked 6,437 Times
in
3,183 Posts
Hubs - check Velobase
Headset - use retainers if possible. Use loose balls if necessary, packing the race(s), then removing one ball to allow them to move freely.
Freewheel - same as loose balls in a headset.
Pedals - Almost always at least 11 loose balls in each race packed without dead space. (Often 13 or 26/pedal.)
And with cup and cone bottom brackets, I always use 11 loose on each side.
#8
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Mountain Brook. AL
Posts: 4,002
Mentioned: 14 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 303 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 136 Times
in
104 Posts
[QUOTE=gululok;22227405
Btw, is there any trick to pulling out the dust cover? I spent a long time prying with various screwdrivers, and ended up putting in a screw to gain purchase, but that left a hole that I'd have to caulk over.[/QUOTE]
Use the shortest screw you have to fill the hole. Then, in the future when you want to lube the pedals, remove the screw and use a grease gun
with a blunt 'needle' fitting to inject grease into the hole til it extrudes from the other end of the pedal, replace screw and you are done.
This was Speedplay's standard approach to lubing their pedals and it works well. One indication for relube is a pedal that spins freely.
Lubed pedal will just spin a turn or so.
Btw, is there any trick to pulling out the dust cover? I spent a long time prying with various screwdrivers, and ended up putting in a screw to gain purchase, but that left a hole that I'd have to caulk over.[/QUOTE]
Use the shortest screw you have to fill the hole. Then, in the future when you want to lube the pedals, remove the screw and use a grease gun
with a blunt 'needle' fitting to inject grease into the hole til it extrudes from the other end of the pedal, replace screw and you are done.
This was Speedplay's standard approach to lubing their pedals and it works well. One indication for relube is a pedal that spins freely.
Lubed pedal will just spin a turn or so.